THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: November 2022 (Page 8 of 13)

CONEY HATCH – Friction

November 14, 2022 /

Friction was released in ’85, and the first with a major label backing. This was the album that was supposed to be the one that pushed them into the mainstream but instead, it was the last one they would record until Four in 2013. Killer production from Max Norman gave the album a huge sound and one can only say, what happened? The first two albums were great and the band had their own personality and vibe – I loved them. There is no doubt that this was a more commercial album, aimed at the radio.

This Ain’t Love opens up the album and right from the off the sound is huge crisp and clean. The guitar sounds massive and that hook and chorus are superb. She’s Gone is next up and is a very radio-friendly tune, it was released as a single. Carl Dixon has a superb voice with such a great tone. Wrong Side Of Town feels like a song from the first two albums. Andy Curran handles the vocals on this one and the riff and groove are awesome. A great tune and also my favourite! Girl From Lasts Nights Dream was the big radio-friendly single from the album and it did ok in the US. Coming To Get You closes out Side 1 and it’s just an okay track with a plod groove, it’s my least favourite on the album.   

Fantasy kicks off Side 2 and we are in AOR territory with a very slick production with the added keys. He’s A Champion again, has that slow plod beat and groove, it’s just an ok track for me. State Line has a great hook and chorus, and a four to the floor groove. Last track is Burning Love and it sounds huge. Guitars are very upfront in the mix, which always gets my seal of approval. I seem to like the Andy Curran songs, as my favourites from all three of the early albums are the ones he sings.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

Y&T – Contagious

November 14, 2022 /

The first three albums after the band’s name change: Earthshaker, Black Tiger. and Mean Streak were all classics and faithful to the band’s hard rockin’ sound. Now this is album number eight. They had a lot of success on the radio and MTV with a more commercial approach, using a lot of big hooks and the customary sing-a-long chorus on the two previous albums. Does this album stack up with the three classics? Yes, is the short answer, but in a more commercial way as they used a lot of outside writers. The big money production is there in full and this record sounds awesome. So, that’s a plus.

The opening title track is a typical Y&T rocker and sets things up nicely. LA Rocks is a bit of a throw away tune really, giving the record company what they want with a very radio-friendly tune. The band have always written great power ballads and Temptation is in that vein with a killer solo from Dave Meniketti, who actually didn’t have a hand in writing it. The Kid Goes Crazy is a Hot For Teacher rip-off complete with cheesy Roth style raps. I mean, it’s a great tune with a killer solo but not too original. Fight For Your Life has a simple riff and groove which carries the song through and the expected killer solo.

Side 2 kicks off with Armed And Dangerous and if that’s not a signature Y&T intro I don’t know what is, although I’m sure I’ve heard that hook and melody before. Rhythm Or Not follows and sounds huge with a big pounding beat and simple groove. Bodily Harm follows and it is the only song on the album with no members having a hand in writing it. The intro is killer, as is the whole song. It’s super commercial, it’s as catchy as a disease at a disease convention, and yup – favourite track. Eyes Of A Stranger has a huge sounding big riff intro and it’s power ballad number three with the emphasis on power, and boy do they know how to write a melody. The album closes out with the instrumental I’ll Cry For You, and it’s all about Dave and very reminiscent of Parisienne Walkways, which is an appropriate comparison as Gary Moore puts as much feeling into his playing as Dave does. So, it’s not as good as the first three but it’s close, and it’s very solid album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ANGEL – Sinful

November 12, 2022 /

This was Angel’s final album from their initial incarnation, it was released back in ’79. Signed to Casablanca, as were Kiss, the image they had was the exact opposite to Kiss and the label played on the good versus evil  for a while.

Musically it’s basic 70’s rock and their sound seems to have watered down through the albums. After the pomp and Prog vibes of the first album, especially with the epic Tower, they have changed a lot since and this album could belong to any hard rock band around this period. In ’79 Van Halen we’re onto album number two and the musical landscape had changed a lot in a short space of time, this type of rock was becoming somewhat dated.

It’s not a bad record it’s just of it’s time, and it sounds it. I guess Greg Giuffria knew this as he soon jumped ship to House Of Lords and Giuffria. It’s hard to pick a favourite track, but if I’m pushed I would say LA Lady as the hook and chorus are quite cool. Not the best Angel album as that goes to the either of the first two.

6.5/10 from The Grooveman.

JETBOY – Feel The Shake

November 12, 2022 /

This was the band’s debut album, released in ’88. They had an initial burst with this and the follow up album Damned Nation. Then, they took a little hiatus until ’98 but they have been rockin’ on ever since.

Feel The Shake opens up the album and it is a four to the floor sleaze groover, typical of late eighties LA. Make Some Noise is a straight up rocker with a nice hook and chorus. Bad Disease has a very old school fifties rockabilly vibe, mixed with a killer production. The rock n’ roll riffs keep coming with Fire In My Heart, although Rose Tattoo popped into mind at first. Hometown Blues closes out Side 1 and it is what it says on the tin.

The good time rock n’ roll vibe continues with Locked In A Cage with quite a sparse guitar riff and the sing along chorus. Talkin’ has a big GnR vibe except for the cheesy middle section. Hard Climb is about as simple as it comes with the one note bass riff intro, and it’s Poison in all but name. Bloodstone has an odd opening sequence before it settles down to be my favourite track on the album. A cool chord progression and great groove. Last track is Snakebite. It has a groove where I could swear I’m in bar in Australia and either The Angels or Rose Tattoo are playing.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2025 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑